1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to exercise and/or gaming systems and methods, specifically there is a trampoline with a sensor system configured to allow a user to potentially perform exercises and/or control a video game.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ever increasing awareness of the benefits of physical fitness grows every day. A healthy lifestyle is commonly known to include a balanced diet and a routine of exercises. Many people accomplish this lifestyle through fitness clubs or gymnasiums that provide equipment and personal training. However, personal training to stimulate aerobic and musculature development is quite expensive, difficult to routinely maintain, and often is thought to be boring and not very fun.
One particular well known fun device and has been used in personal exercise is to jump on a trampoline. Referring to prior art FIG. 1, there is illustrated one embodiment of a conventional trampoline 22, which includes a trampoline frame 34, to support the basic structure thereof. There is mounted to the frame 34, a jumping bed 31, a plurality of coil springs 32, and a plurality of upright legs 36. The legs 36 are adapted to be disposed uprightly on a ground surface and vertically coupled to the frame 34 in a spaced relationship to each other. The frame 34 shape, circular in this embodiment, defines a bed mounting space 37 or opening. The jumping bed 31, is mounted in the space 37, and includes a mat member 39 with a peripheral spring attachment portion 41. There is a plurality of coupling members 42, like grommets, peripherally mounted to the attachment portion 41, and designed to releasably couple to one end of the coil springs 32 respectively. A second opposite end of each spring 32 is designed to be releasably coupled to a plurality of frame mounting members 43, like a hook, ring or eye design, which are peripherally mounted in a spaced apart manner to the inner circumference of the frame 34. Thus, the jumping bed is resiliently suspended off the ground and held in the mounting space 37 by the frame 34 and the springs 32 to allow users to jump thereon without hitting the ground.
There are many other devices that can assist a user in exercise. Some go so far as to sense, measure and record bodily movements. Some of these prior art systems are presented herein, and are accordingly incorporated by reference, and are to be included into this application for all of the supportive teachings that one skilled in the art would need to practice the presently claimed and taught invention. Wherein, the incorporated related art is as follows:
There is taught, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,488, issued Oct. 24, 1978, a step-on type tone scale play device. In particular a step-on type tone scale play device that has a flexible mat within which is arranged a plurality of flexible switch elements in accordance with a tone scale and is adapted to produce corresponding music sounds when marks configured on the surface of a mat to indicate the position of each switch element are stepped on.
There is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,789, issued Jan. 19, 1988, a video exercise or game floor controller with position indicating foot pads. It incorporates the an exercise system utilizing a video display that is enhanced by a floor controller utilizing weight sensitive pads that allows an operator to input information into the system by locating his feet in specific portions of the floor controller.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,847, issued Sep. 8, 1992, there is taught a pressure or force measuring device wherein a force or pressure sensor has a measuring body exposed to the measuring force and a reference body, said bodies both being supported at the housing via force measuring elements. In an evaluating circuit the signals of the force measuring elements, the second time derivatives of said signals and possibly also their first time derivatives are linked in such a manner that a signal representing the measuring force is obtained which is largely independent of the dynamic inherent behavior of the pressure sensor on shocks and vibrations of the housing and on rapid changes of the measuring force.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,654, issued Dec. 31, 1996, there is taught an electronic dance floor system that consists of a dance floor having at least two dancing sections with each section further having at least four composite pad assemblies. Each of the assemblies is connected through a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) converter to a MIDI equipped sound source. When a dancer, during his or her dance routine, steps on selected assemblies, an electrical switch module, embedded in each assembly triggers, the MIDI converter which, in turn, energizes the sound source. Thus, by stepping on selected assemblies a dancer can produce sounds that compliment the dancer's stepping routine. The system can also be designed to include a pair of tapping shoes. The shoes independently allow a sound(s) to be produced that enhances the sound(s) produced by the dance floor.
There is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,073, issued Aug. 29, 2000, a physical fitness device which is activated by pressure placed upon the stepping locations, permitting a user to interact with the device. A control panel can be used to select predefined programs or exercise modes from the microcomputer to be followed by the user. The programs test and improve the user's foot speed, agility, and reaction time. The microcomputer and display can preferably provide feedback to the user to indicate calories burned, time elapsed, and other fitness-related information, and also which stepping location has been stepped on or should be stepped on.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,365, issued Feb. 6, 2001, there is taught a movement measuring device that determines the speed of the body's specific movement on the basis of the maximum value of the acceleration sensed by an acceleration sensing unit attached to the body, when the body has made a specific movement. For example, when the player wears the device on his arm and makes a punching motion, the punching speed is found from the maximum acceleration resulting from the punching action. Furthermore, a game device obtains data indicating the magnitude of a specific movement of the body, on the basis of the acceleration sensed by an acceleration sensing unit, and then decides the outcome of the game on the basis of the strength and weakness of the punch. This enables the user to easily play a fighting sport game involving the player's actual punching motions anywhere.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,694, issued Feb. 24, 2004, there is taught a game machine, to evaluate a game operating performance from a new point of view, a control method for controlling a game machine allowing a player to enjoy stepping while listening to game music, comprises the steps of detecting whether or not the player puts their foot or feet on each of a plurality of step positions; judging, based on a detection result on the step position, according to which, of a plurality of pattern changes, a state of the player's feet relative to the plurality of step positions has changed to; calculating, based on the determined pattern change, an energy consumption amount due to a change of the state of the player's feet; calculating an accumulative energy consumption amount by accumulating an energy consumption amount calculated after a predetermined timing; and reporting the accumulative energy consumption amount calculated to the player.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,753, issued Jul. 6, 2004, there is provided an input apparatus for game systems, which are simplified in construction. The input apparatus has a base having a plurality of panel-attaching sections, a plurality of foot panels, and tape switches not only arranged between a panel supporting surface formed on each of a plurality of panel-attaching sections and each of the foot panels but also outputting a predetermined detection signal responsively to changes in pushing load onto each foot panel. The tape switch has a sensing element and an elastic-material-made coating member covering the sensing element and functioning as a medium transmitting a load applied to each foot panel to the sensing element. The coating element supports the foot panel by contacting with each foot panel. Ribs are formed on the coating member, so that a load is intensively transmitted to a desired position on the sensing element.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,513, issued Jun. 6, 2005, there is taught an apparatus directed to computerized fitness equipment that is designed to simulate, emulate, or implement actual race conditions with other users. An exemplar fitness equipment includes an operating component and sensors to monitor performance parameters of the at least one operating component (such as speed of movement). A display is also provided, along with logic to provide a visual display of a user's performance. In one embodiment, a communication interface is provided to communicate the first performance parameters to at least one remote, similarly-configured, fitness equipment. Performance parameters from the remote fitness equipment are also received through the communication interface. The fitness equipment includes logic to compare the first performance parameters with performance parameters received from remote fitness equipment and display the results in a comparative fashion to the user.
There is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,388, issued Jun. 21, 2005, a game system displaying a three-dimensional game space on a display including a housing held by a player, a tilt sensor, a viewpoint coordinates determination mechanism for determining viewpoint coordinates in accordance with an output value of the tilt sensor, and a game image generation processing mechanism for generating a game image based on the viewpoint coordinates determined by the viewpoint coordinate determination mechanism. The game system allows the player to feel as if the three-dimensional game space is tilted in accordance with a tilt of a game device, etc., with a minimal processing burden.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,250,847, issued Jul. 31, 2007, there is taught an apparatus focused on a portable structure, generally in the form of a portable mat or other similar member, that can be moved or transported from place to place to be used in a temporary manner and placed on the ground for use in the process of facilitating the implementation of field exercise tests of individuals who are suspected of criminal or other activity such as driving under the influence of alcohol, such mat comprising in general a flat flexible mat-like member that can be placed flush against the ground for temporary use, such mat having an upper surface with demarcations thereon for guiding a person walking over the upper surface of the mat.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,297,089, issued Nov. 20, 2007, there is taught a lighted trampoline having a frame, a bounce member and a bounce sensor, sensing bounces activates lights and provide sounds for entertainment and training purposes. A control box interprets a variety of inputs from the bounce sensors and outputs a variety of lights and sounds. A light is activated underneath the bounce member when the bounce sensor senses a bounce.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,134, issued Feb. 26, 2008, there is taught an apparatus and method for an exercise apparatus incorporating sensor for translating body movement imparted to the exercise apparatus by the user that is measured and transmitted to a video game. The exercise apparatus has a platform with resistive arms forming a cradle for the user. The invention moves and senses motion in the transverse, anterior-posterior and longitudinal axis.
Although all of the above prior art teach of exercise, dancing and sensing systems, what is needed is a system, device and/or method that solves how to use a trampoline system with the measuring, sensing, recording, displaying, etc. abilities. The use of trampolines has historically been recognized as an excellent low or minimal impact exercise device. They can accommodate almost any level of physical exertion and can be effectively used by individuals of almost any age. However, state-of-the-art trampolines do not incorporate a way to monitor and record physical exercise routines or control games. Trampolines heretofore have not been able to provide the user with exercise response feedback data, i.e. heart rate, body fat, calories, level of exertion, type of routine, time of routine, and speed of routine. Further, with the current art of human monitoring device, the data recordings do not distinguish between jumping jacks, jump rope, gymnastics jumping exercise, running in place, etc. Current trampolines are not interactive with media outputs, including video, interactive games, music, light shows, personal video trainer, etc.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a trampoline system and/or device that solves one or more of the problems herein described or that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art after becoming familiar with this specification, drawings and a appended claims.